Hermione and the dark Weasley
by Mrs X Y and Z
Summary: Hermione's life before Hogwarts was horrible. Fred's always felt different to the rest of his family. Hermione's parents couldn't care less what happens to her. Fred's parents have so many children it's easy to slip into the background. What happens when these two meet up before Hogwarts? Will their dark sides win or will they become the people we know from the books?
1. Hermione's friend

Hermione Granger woke up on a normal day in her normal house, in a normal town. Yet while everything around her is normal, she was anything but. Things seem to happen around her that no one can explain - except for her friend. The friend she had told no one about, not that she had anyone to tell to begin with. She's hated by her peers because of her intelligence, even now at the age of nine. She can't get through a single school day without taking a beating from one of her classmates. Her parents don't care what happens to her as long as she gets a good job and earns enough money to send them to a nice retirement home.

Maybe that's why she was drawn to him; he cared about what was happening to her. Or maybe it was because he was another outsider, though only within his family. Yes he looks like the rest of his family - red hair, pale skin, freckles and blue eyes - but he doesn't act like the rest of his family. His brother in my year is a moron yet he seems to know the answer to all the questions people ask him. His twin is a clown, and though he acts like one in public he believes the jokes to be immature. His next oldest brother is work obsessed and thinks he's more important than others but he is the most humble boy I've ever met. His second oldest brother works with dragons and has his head stuck in the clouds, whilst he only looks at reality no matter how bleak it may be. He's probably most like his eldest brother but with one difference. His brother thinks family is all you need whereas he believes that only those that earn his loyalty should be the ones he cares about.

How she earned his loyalty is anyone's guess. She often finds herself thinking back to the first time that they had met. She had been walking home a year ago, having thought she had escaped a beating for the day, when she was pulled down an alley. There were three boys who she had recognised as being from the secondary school a street away from where her school is. It turned out that they wanted her to pay for showing up their little sisters in class and started to shove her around. When she refused to cry out they started to become rougher until Hermione couldn't stand it anymore. What happened next had confused her before he had explained to her what she is. All she remembered is wanting them to stop and leave her alone when they just turned and walked away. Only once she was sure they were gone did she let herself break down and cry. That was how he saw her, a bawling mess. But what had made their meeting even stranger was the words he spoke to her before he ran to catch up with his brothers.

"You're a witch."


	2. Fred's friend

A/N: In this story Fred and George are only one year older than Ron, Harry and Hermione. Also Ginny isn't going to be an important character until later on in the story so that's why she isn't mentioned much in these chapters.

Fred Weasley has always been different to his family. He knows that his twin can tell but he doesn't care. He knows that his twin wonders what changed him only a few years ago. Fred remembers when him and his twin were like two bodies with one brain, but that's all he can do. Remember. He was changed without a choice. So now, even though he acts like he did before, Fred and his twin are complete opposites. His twin still goes around pulling pranks, sometimes with the help of 'accidental' magic. Yet he has learnt that you are able to do magic outside of Hogwarts before you start there. And so he has concentrated on learning and practicing as many spells as he can.

His twin often asks why he changed but Fred will always refuse to tell him. He knows his twin will pity him and tell his family who will try to help him. But he doesn't need help; he's survived this long without it and he can carry on without it. Maybe that's why he's drawn to her - she would never pity him. She would never judge him on what he says or does. He can be himself around her. Maybe that's why he broke the secrecy code and told her about magic and what she was.

Yet he can't seem to stop himself mulling over their first proper meeting in the dark of night when he should be sleeping. He had felt the burst of magic - dark magic - when he had been walking back from school one day a year ago. His two oldest brothers had been walking them back because his mum didn't trust him and his twin to not pull a prank on someone. They had told everyone to start speeding up when these three boys came out of an alley just in front of us. They had been imperiused but it seemed to wear off as soon as they were a couple of steps away from the alley.

However, when no one was watching he slipped into the alley. He knew there couldn't be any Death Eaters as the spell had been to weak to have come from one of them. But he never expected to find her there, a bawling mess. He had recognized her as a girl in the year below him but he didn't know her. Though he could still feel her magic pulsating around her; filled with pain, anger and desperation. She looked up to see him standing above her and her eyes reflected her magic so clearly. These feelings seemed to push him to do something he would never have considered before and would never do again to date, helping someone who hasn't earned his loyalty. And once the words had fallen from his lips he turned to catch up with his brothers and sister, pleading with everything he could think of that she hadn't heard him.

"You're a witch"


	3. It's fight time

Hermione stood in the clearing that she had created after her parents had first touched her. She was waiting for her friend, waiting to learn more about the world she's a part of. Waiting to be herself and let her walls come down.

Fred strode through the woods towards a clearing that isn't there on any maps. He was going to meet his friend, going to ask more about the world he goes to school in. Going to be himself and let his walls come down.

A snap of a twig brings Hermione out of her thoughts and makes her head snap up to meet the sea blue eyes in front of her. She waits, wondering if he needs to get out any supressed emotions from the day. But when none comes out she simply turns and climbs the tree dubbed as theirs, knowing only two things for certain then - he will follow and he won't let her fall.

A twig snaps under Fred's foot as he comes to stand in front of her. Her head snaps up and his eyes meet her chocolate ones. But he doesn't move, letting her know that today hasn't been as bad as others, that he doesn't have any supressed emotions. After a few seconds she turns and climbs the tree they've dubbed as theirs. He only knows two things for certain as he follows - she will lead and she won't let stray from the path.

Once they reach the highest branch that can safely support their combined weight they sit in silence. Neither believes in trivial small talk, one of them will always start the discussion. If no land around their tree has been altered, like today, then they go straight to the questions about the world the other comes from. But if some land has been altered then the one who didn't do it waits for the other to explain what happened. Today they rest in silence for a good few minutes until she asks a question that's been on her mind since the start of the summer holidays; and the one he has been dreading since the start of the summer holidays.

"Fred, when you go to Hogwarts in September how will we be able to meet up at the end of each day?"

To Hermione it was a question that Fred would explain away, whilst to Fred she might as well have asked why they aren't going to be friends after today. For Hermione, Fred's reluctance to answer her question is because he is trying to word it so that she can understand, after all he did that often. But to Fred, he is reluctant to answer because he doesn't want the one good thing that's come into his life since he's changed to leave.

"We won't be able to meet up at the end of each day."

Fred hasn't had to let anyone down gently for a long time now and he knows that isn't how you do it but he doesn't know how to anymore. Hermione struggles to grasp what Fred just said and how harshly he said it, like he doesn't care. Fred can see the shock turn to anger on Hermione's face and wishes he could just be home schooled for a year. Hermione refuses to let Fred see how much he has hurt her so falls back on the only other emotion she truly knows - anger.

"Well if that's the best way you can come with saying you don't want to see me anymore then you're clearly an idiot! I don't know why I ever bothered to care about you! I hope you don't think I'll talk to you when I come to Hogwarts!"

With that last statement Hermione rushed down the tree before Fred could see the tears leaking from her eyes to a new place where another clearing appeared.

Fred stormed off to his house, furious at himself for not telling in a nicer way and furious at Hermione for not giving him the opportunity to explain.

Both couldn't sleep that night, filled with pain and betrayal. Neither went to the woods nor their tree for the rest of the week.


	4. Hermione needs help

Hermione couldn't help but feel depressed the entire week she didn't go to the woods to see Fred. Her parents had turned physically abusive towards her last summer and she had only ever told Fred. He was the one she would go to after a particularly bad beating, all she had to do was send her owl who lives just inside the woods so that her parents don't notice. The owl is the centre of her attention right now. She knows she has at least one broken bone in her body but she can't pinpoint where due to the vast amounts of pain radiating through her body. She also knows that she has to get help as she isn't able to heal herself while in this amount of pain.

Fred couldn't help but feel depressed the entire week he didn't go to the woods to see Hermione. He'd been struggling to keep up his act around his family, he hadn't let his walls down throughout the week. She was the only one he could tell his pains to - how he feels like hurting everyone around him and making them pay for making him put up walls. He knows he needs to talk about it to her or he'll go insane. Or worse he'll carry out one of his darkest fantasies and get given the Dementor's Kiss. He also knows that his family is starting to notice his cracks that he has tried to hide and they'll start questioning him soon.

Hermione writes a quick scribbled note of two words - _Tree, quickly_. Once the owl has set off through the woods - never going above the tree line to avoid detection - she to starts the painful journey to their tree. All she wishes for right now is that Fred comes and she makes it to the tree before she collapses.

The sun had set an hour ago yet an owl has just arrived at Fred's window. Fred leaves it alone, hoping it will go away but the tapping just gets louder. Eventually George gets up to shoo the owl away but as he moves towards the window he asks Fred a question that causes him to stiffen.

"So what's up with you? You've been acting horrid all week."

As George finally opens the window the owl sweeps in before he can stop it. He sighs and turns to Fred to demand the answer to his question, hoping he'll tell him like he did before he changed. But to Georges surprise Fred is putting down a piece of paper and grabbing his boots. George knows he won't get an answer from him now, Fred's always disappearing for extended amounts of time after their mum put them to bed. Yet this time George follows him, hoping to get to the bottom of at least one mystery. Why Fred changed or where he disappears to.

Fred can't answer George, if he does he'll just ask more questions. So he tries to think of how to distract him when Hermione's owl slams to a stop on top of his bed. He notices the note immediately and grabs it up. Grabbing his boots, he rushes out of the house as silently as he can. He knows Hermione is in trouble to have contacted him so early after a fight, he just wishes that she made it to the tree and he can help her when he gets there.

Neither Fred nor Hermione expected what was to happen that night and George could only wish he had been more careful.

A/N: Please review and tell me what you do and don't like so I can make this story more interesting for you.


	5. George's discovery

How she ever thought she could make it to their tree in this condition was beyond her. It's only ten minutes away when you walk but for her, right now, it might as well be a marathon away. She is currently leaning up against a tree halfway to their tree, her vision wavering and her ability to stay conscious waning. She knows somewhere in the back of her mind that she can't carry on but her concentration is being used on taking in breath - which has suddenly become much more difficult.

Fred's eyes are trained on the land ahead of him, trying to stop his panicking mind. Before he met Hermione he would never have rushed off without thinking it over, without letting the person squirm for a little bit. Hermione's brought out some of the boy he was before he changed and he knows he has brought out some of the innocent young girl she used to be. Bursting into the clearing, Fred cannot spot Hermione anywhere. Suddenly, a snap of branches behind him makes him whirl around but he doesn't see Hermione.

George struggles to keep up with his twin as he sprints through the woods. He knows this is where Fred goes but he doesn't know what's so important that he's running. Fred hasn't had a sense of urgency in a long time, but now it's pouring off him in waves. Up ahead Fred smashes through a bush and George goes to follow but gets stuck in the same bush. Just as he's wondering if he'll be able to get back if Fred has gone further into the woods, he snaps a load of branches and falls near Fred's feet.

For a minute neither twin moves, both stuck staring at one another. Fred's face doesn't show his shock but George has confusion written all over his. But the staring contest ends abruptly when Fred grabs George by the ear and yanks him up, his face twisted into an angry snarl. George has never feared Fred before, feared for him - yes, but never feared him. Yet right now Fred looks like he rip his jugular out with his teeth and not regret it.

"What are you doing here?" The words are forced through gritted teeth as Fred struggles to control his anger. He doesn't want George to see him or Hermione weak and vulnerable.

"I wanted to see where you were going" Came the stuttered reply from George, his face screwed up in pain.

After a few seconds Fred lets go off his ear but George's relief is only temporary when Fred tells him to go home in a deathly calm voice and turns around and starts running once more. George's relief immediately turns to worry, worry for what the big secret is and what it's doing to Fred.

Fred only has to run for two more minutes in the direction of Hermione's house before he spots her. She's slumped against a tree, her body a complete mess. A canvas of black, blue and dark purple. In the next second he's laying her down and working on her injuries. The most worrying one is the rib that's pierced her left lung, the lung is filling with fluid and he isn't sure how to heal it so he goes on instinct. He wills the rib to move back into the correct position, the fluid to return from where it came from and the lung to stitch itself back together. His reward is Hermione taking a deep breath.

George hears a loud inhale from his left a few seconds after he lost sight of Fred. No matter what he was told he wants his twin back and will do whatever he can to get him back. Yet he isn't prepared for the sight that greets his eyes when he peers around the tree he's been resting on. Fred is crouched over a figure that appears to only be semi-conscious and badly beaten. He goes to call out to Fred when the figure raises its hand and a force strikes him and he is flown backwards into another tree. Vaguely he can hear Fred yell at the figure to stop - that it's only his twin - but the pounding in his head keeps him taking it in.

Hermione saw Fred appear in front of her and knows that he had lain her down on the grass. But breathing is still a struggle and she can't work out why. Yet now she can breath and her vision is no longer blacking out on her. She's about to sit up and thank Fred when another Fred peeks around a tree, but this one has different eyes. Eyes filled with curiosity not pain. Eyes filled with mischief instead of self-hatred. His eyes distract her for a second, the eyes Fred should have, when she realises a stranger is seeing her at her weakest. So she raises her hand and channels her magic to push him back into the tree a few feet behind him. But as soon as Fred notices what happened he yells at her to stop hurting his twin but in her half-conscious and pain-filled state she doesn't really take it in. As she loses the fight to stay awake she sees Fred run over to the other Fred.

Fred can't believe what's just happened. Hermione had just blown George into a tree so hard a sickening crunch could be heard. Trying to stop her before she hurts him anymore Fred yells at her to stop and runs towards his twin, knowing Hermione's worst injuries are healed.


	6. Disscussing helps ease the pain

As Fred heals George he can't help but ponder on the fact that George still followed when he told him to go back to the house.

As George feels his wounds being healed by Fred he can't help but wonder why he cares enough to heal him, he had seemed so angry earlier.

As Hermione regains consciousness she spots Fred healing the second Fred, who she now recognises as George from school. She can't help but regret what she did to George as it clearly hurt Fred.

When George is healed the twins move back to Hermione, who is now leaning up against a tree, in silence. For a few seconds no on talks as the boys sit down to form a rough circle. But silence cannot exist forever, there will always be someone to break it; and for them it's George. The boy Fred should be like but isn't. The boy filled with love, life and laughter. The boy who really wants to know what was so important that Fred had to rush off in the middle of the night. The boy who will always break the silence if no else is willing to.

"So is she the reason you rushed off in the middle of the night?" But, for once, George doesn't really want to know the answer. He wants Fred to say yes so he can get to the bottom of his change, yet he wants him to say no so he doesn't have to find what actually happened to the girl in front of him.

Fred knows this would be the first question George asked him yet he knows he can't answer without checking it with Hermione first. After all, whether she likes it or not, she's a part of the story he is going to have to finally tell. The story to do with why he changed and why he stopped changing.

Hermione waits for Fred to turn towards her, his head currently bowed to look at the ground. She waits to let him know that she doesn't mind if he tells George. Maybe it's time they let someone else help them with their problems. Maybe it's time to get help. So when Fred finally turns his head towards her she nods, happy in her decision because she knows that Fred would only tell someone who they could trust. Not to mention that she's curious to know why he changed from the boy she remember him being a couple of years ago to the one in front of her.

Taking a deep breath, Fred tells his story to the two people who have never left his side for any prolonged time. The two people who don't care what he has become. The two people who are willing to help him. The girl who stopped him from falling any further down the dark hole he had been. And the boy who was holding out a hand to pull him back up.

"A few years ago, I snuck into the woods to pull a prank on Percy after he took our book '101 Pranks for Beginners'. I just thought I would grab some plants that I needed to transform into bugs to give him a scare. I never expected to see what I did or I wouldn't have go in. I wouldn't have. I would have gone and got mum or dad. But I was only a couple of minutes in when I heard screaming near me, only a couple of feet away. I

don't know why I moved towards it. I know I should have gone and got someone immediately but once I saw what was happening I couldn't move. It was like someone had cast a spell on me. There were some Death Eaters standing around a girl who looked like you Hermione, but with shorter hair. She was the source of the screams, they were torturing her. They kept casting the Cruciatus Curse on her until she stopped screaming. They just laughed at her at one cast a curse I didn't recognise and she started bleeding from a slice that appeared on her chest. Then they just apparated away, leaving her for dead. I waited for a minute to see if they were going to come back but when they didn't I went up to her and tried to stop the bleeding. I healed the cut and she still had a pulse but she was unconscious, and I knew she needed help so I started trying to lift her up. But she woke up and she saw me. I know she did, she tried to say something but she couldn't speak after so much screaming. I panicked and ran. I would never do that again, if I could do it again I would have got someone immediately. But I didn't. I locked myself in the bathroom, when I noticed I still had her blood on my hands. I was sick, I couldn't help it and it took a few washes to finally get her blood off."

Fred can't continue as sobs wrack his body, his mind keeps replaying the awful memory. George and Hermione don't say anything but wrap their arms around him, giving him the only comfort they know how to. George never knew this and Hermione had an idea but never thought it was this bad. Yet both know they have to say where they come into this horrid story, whilst George's part isn't bad Hermione knows her part will just add to the guilt Fred feels. So when it becomes clear Hermione isn't going to speak first George starts his part.

"I remember that. Mum and dad were worried that you'd caught the flu or something worse. You weren't getting better. But suddenly you did when the Daily Prophet came with an article about her. There was a picture of her on the front with a girl that was barely younger than us, couldn't have been younger than Ron anyway. It was a muggle photo but it looked as if she was running away from the child. The report just gave her name and when she went missing. There wasn't much information on her. Her name was Grace Georgia Granger and she was a Muggleborn and the other girl in the photo was her little sister. She went missing the day before you were sick Fred."

Hermione knows that there isn't any way not to tell her part in the story now. Especially since Fred knows her last name. At the same time Fred can only really concentrate on the girls last name - Granger. The same name as Hermione. If she is in any way related to the girl then he's not sure how he can live with himself.

"I knew her." Came Hermione's weak voice causing both boys head to whip towards her. "She was my big sister. She was amazing, she always looked out for me. She always supported my intelligence but also taught me how to be smart. She would say that the difference between intelligence and smarts is that one means you know stuff and the other means you know how to use it. She was a witch, like me. I never expected to be a witch, she was cool and I wasn't. When things happened around me I just presumed it was her playing a trick on me. When she disappeared my parents went into really bad grief. My dad was drunk all the time and mum had loads of affairs. They just presumed she died and when I said that she didn't they yelled at me. I was sure she wasn't dead. I could feel her magic. I know it sounds weird but her magic always seemed to live and be able to do extraordinary things. I still don't think she's dead. Maybe she's just lost her memory."

With this Hermione looks up hopefully, as if begging them to tell her she's right. But all they answer her with is a shrug. So they sit in silence, all lost in their own thoughts. No one noticing the sun rise and no one noticing the girl who had listened to their story and slunk back to her tree.


	7. The best time to think is night

Grace knew that she hadn't lived in the woods all her life. Grace knew she was different to the families she saw walking through the woods. Grace knew she had people out there who care about her. But Grace didn't know any specific details about her life. But listening to the three children she has come to remember who she once was. She hasn't seen her own reflection in a long time but she knows she used to look like Hermione before she cut and died her hair. Grace now knows that she can't allow the boy who cried over her to carry on blaming himself for something that was out of his control. It's time for Triple G to make a comeback the only way she knows how. Magically.

George doesn't believe Grace could have died or someone would have found her body. Families used to trek through the woods constantly, which was why they were never allowed in there. Surely someone would have spotted her, if not smelt her. After all, everyone knows dead bodies smell.

Fred can't help but feel responsible for Hermione being physically abused by her parents. If he had gone and got someone then she wouldn't have been in the condition she was earlier. She would have been okay. She wouldn't need help and he would have got some. He could have lived these past few years instead of just surviving.

Hermione can feel the pull of magic stronger now, like when Grace came home after a term in Hogwarts. And she knows Grace is still out there, getting either stronger or nearer. But above all she refuses to let Fred feel responsible for what happened. He saved her life tonight and she will save his.

Charlie Weasley can't sleep. It's been two years since his best friend went missing. Two years since he left Hogwarts and two years since Fred changed. He doesn't think anyone else has noticed but it's easy not to. Fred's good at hiding how he really feels unless you look at his eyes. You could always tell if Fred and George were planning something by their eyes. He sometimes wonders if the disappearance of Grace and Fred changing are connected.

But all the other occupants of the Burrow sleep peacefully, unaware of the shift in two of their sons, the pondering of another and the hope of a girl from the house on the other side of the woods. That is until morning, when it becomes impossible for them not to notice at least two of the happenings of the night. When Mrs. Weasley's scream of terror will let no one sleep any longer.

A/N: I know it's a really short and boring chapter but it needs to be written so that I can get to the next part of the story.


	8. The Weasleys finally find out

Mrs. Weasley woke early that morning, never in her widest dreams expecting what was to happen in a few short minutes. Once she had got herself a cup of coffee she padded back upstairs planning on waking up everyone so that she could start making breakfast. But she never got past the twins room, where there were two empty, cold beds that hadn't been used most of the night. She knew they weren't anywhere downstairs and if they were in one of their brothers room she would be able to hear their low chuckling.

Panic set in and she can't think straight. So she does the only thing she could as thousands of horrid situations run through her head. She screams. Not the one her children have learnt to fear, the one that says she is beyond furious. This one is full of panic and fear, this one brings the rest of the household running before she even runs out of breath.

Charlie feels like he only just drifted into a fitful sleep before his mums scream wakes him up.

Fred, George and Hermione are still lost in their own thoughts when a faint scream rouses them, one Fred and George recognise as their mums.

Grace spots two of the three children spring up as a woman's scream she recognises from somewhere reaches them. But Hermione, the girl she feels she ought to know, only got halfway up before collapsing back onto the ground with a cry of pain.

Hermione had been feeling a dull ache come from her leg since she had regained consciousness but had pushed it to the back of her mind. She had been concentrating on how to make Fred realise that whatever happened to Grace wasn't his fault. But as soon as she tried to stand up when she heard a woman's scream the pain took priority.

Fred and George were about to start running towards their home, only just realising the sun had risen, when they heard Hermione's cry of pain. They spin around to see her clutching her leg in obvious pain and from the weird bend in her leg they can tell it's badly broken. How she was able to not show any pain before is beyond them. They know they can't leave her there on her own but they also know they have to get back home to find out what's wrong. So, with just a nod to each other, they each took an arm and help her up before half carrying, half dragging her along to their house despite her protests.

Hermione knows almost as soon as Fred and George nod at each other what they're planning but she's powerless to stop it. Her leg stops her from being able to get away from them so all she can do is protest as loudly as she can. Though none of them notice the girl trailing them, her footsteps drowned out by Hermione's voice.

At the Burrow everyone fans out to search the house, apart from Ron and Ginny who sit huddled at the kitchen table; worry etched onto their faces. Almost all at once everyone enters the kitchen, all with grim looks on their faces. No one speaks until Ginny lets out a gasp and sprints from the table to the back door. Everyone follows her, not noticing the three figures emerging from the woods until they're halfway across the garden. Ginny stops just in front of Bill, who nearly knocks her over after her abrupt stop. The Weasleys - bar Fred and George - form a sort of line, staring at the odd trio. Well at least until Fred yells for someone to help them.

Fred can feel Hermione's grip on him tighten in pain as he sees his family just create a line and stare. He wonders if his family is blind, can they not see Hermione's bruises? George's thoughts go along the same line but he isn't as angry as Fred. But he understands when Fred yells at them.

Mrs. Weasley darts forward, finally noticing Hermione's state. She starts to levitate her towards the house but Hermione starts to flail, her arms reaching for Fred and George, who immediately grab her hands and whisper soothing words in her ears. Bill rushes back inside to set up somewhere for his mother to heal the girl and Mr. Weasley ushers Percy, Ron and Ginny back into the house.

But Charlie stays where he is, staring at the girl half hidden by a tree. A girl with brown curls, apart from the bottom of them which are a dark red. She looks so much like Grace it scares him. Suddenly, the figure turns to look at him and he knows without a doubt it's Grace.


	9. Grace and Charlie

Grace watches, hidden from the rest of the red heads by the trio and a tree. She watches as they all go into their house with a name that is just out of reach. She knows she knows this place but from where, is the question. Just as she turns to go back to her tree she spots a red haired boy who is just standing and staring at her. But it's not his body that keeps her rooted to the spot like other witches would be, but the barrage of memories that have been just out of reach. Now they all come zooming to the front of her mind, fighting for her attention. Though as soon as it started it stops after what can't have been more than aa couple of seconds but felt like years.

Charlie watches as Grace's face becomes impassive, like it did when he accidentally hit her with a stinging spell when they were young and she didn't want him to know how much it hurt her. But almost as soon as it had started her face became full of expression again - happiness. A massive grin lighting up her face. Suddenly, she starts laughing whilst walking towards him and he can't understand why or what she finds funny.

"Guess what."

The words fall from her mouth before either of them realise how close they are, her grin still in place and amusement dancing in her eyes. Charlie doesn't even try to respond as he sweeps her into a bear hug, never wanting to let go of his best friend again. So she whispers the words in his ears that give him hope that she really is back, after all you can't polyjuice yourself to look older than the person when they died.

"I remember. Now let me go check my sisters okay."

"Hold on you can't just appear again after two years and leave me with that. How do I know it's you?"

"Let me go check on my sister or I'll make sure no girls sleep with you ever again." And with that Grace slipped out of his embrace but couldn't get far as he grabbed her bony wrist. "Fine, you nicknamed me Triple G when I wouldn't stop complaining about my name in Second Year." With that she pulled her hand away and started running towards the door yelling backwards something about giving his family a shock. She didn't realise that Fred and George don't remember her nor that she's Hermione's older sister. These facts are stilled locked away in the back of her mind, well they will be for a few more minutes anyway.


	10. Talking it out

Grace slips into the kitchen silently where Mrs. Weasley is healing Hermione. She would have called out and made them all jump but something about Hermione trying not to show how much pain she's in stops her. Something about it is tugging at a memory and soon it's released, opening the flood gates for the last few memories. Not just the good but the bad as well, specifically the one of how she lost her memory. She remembers the pain, remembers how she begged for death. Now she'll do anything to protect her sister and her new friends and her magical family.

She's brought out of her musings by Charlie's touch on her arm. She gives him a smile and a nod; indicating he should let everyone else know she's back. Charlie's confused by Grace's sudden shyness but he can't question it right now as he spots Percy staring at her. He knows Percy will say something soon if he doesn't say anything now.

"Everyone, you know how we all thought Grace was dead - OW!" Charlie is cut off as Grace kicks him in the shin and glares at him. "Fine how would you explain that you were hidden in the wood for two years whilst we all thought you were dead?"

"Like that" Came her rather simple reply. "I just know how long you can take to explain things"

Charlie's glare and every other Weasley's stares do nothing to faze her as she walks up to Fred and George. The only sound uttered before she drags them out of the room is her advising Mrs. Weasley to carry on healing Hermione.

A/N: A short chapter I know. But I've run out of inspiration so I'm going to leave it for now and maybe come back to it later. Also I've no idea where to take it next.


	11. One month later

Hermione isn't able to walk on her left leg for another week now. It's already been one month, and in that time she's done a lot of things. She's found her big sister. She's put her parents behind bars for child abuse. She's been adopted by the Weasley's. Yes, a very busy month indeed.

She's currently out in the garden, staring up at the stars. Fred sits on her left and George is on her right. They've become like extensions of her, and tonight is the last night they're going to be able to spend like this for a while. Tomorrow they're going to Hogwarts. At least she'll still have Grace - who is staying here until the press leave her alone and she gets a job. Turns out returning from the dead creates quite a lot of interest. Though her reply to one very persistent journalist, Rita Skeeter, was very amusing. She said, and I quote, "Quit bugging me about something that didn't happen or you'll find out if it is actually possible yourself." Most of them didn't ask her about it then, but that doesn't stop them from asking me or the Weasley's.

"You're thinking about Rita Skeeter again." Come the amused voices of Fred and George. Hermione looks at them and smirk. She doesn't need to tell them they're right. They start planning pranks that they can do at Hogwarts, and naming a few that they can't do without her. None of them noticing the two older siblings watching them from the balcony on one of the bedrooms.

Grace lets a small, soft smile play at her lips, not the usual grin she wears. Charlie chuckles softly at the trio discussing pranks on the grass. When Grace glances at him he explains.

"I remember sitting there on summer nights, discussing our plans for the future. You wanted to be a lawyer, one of the best."

"And you wanted to be just like Will-" Grace starts to respond.

"Bill" Charlie corrects.

"I'll call him whatever the hell I want. Anyway, you wanted to be just like _Will_ and become a Curse Breaker. Then one day in a Care of Magical Creatures class we got onto the topic of dragons and your eyes lit up with excitement. You really wanted to meet one and helped Hagrid out as much as you could so that he would take you into the Forbidden Forest so you could meet one. Never worked though. But he told his friend about you and his friend got you a job at a ranch. You loved it, loved the dragons. I missed you whilst you were in Romania." By the end Grace's smile had turned sad. Charlie felt even happier though, he had got a transfer and was just waiting for Bill to get to the Burrow so he could tell everyone at once.

"Does Bill know you're back?" Charlie asked

"If he's been reading the news then he should. And if he hasn't I don't think he deserves to know. And he's called Will, Charles." With that last comment she turns and runs downstairs to the kitchen. Charlie following, calling for revenge. They get through the kitchen door just as Fred and George are helping Hermione through the back door. Mrs Weasley is just putting the last dish on the table as the whole family sits around the table. The meal is eaten with as much speed as possible by all the Weasley males, apart from Percy and Mr Weasley, and conversation flows easily. But just as they're about to tuck into pudding a call of Grace stops them all. Bill Weasley is standing in the doorway, a backpack on the floor beside him and a look of pure shock on his face.


	12. Bill returns home

A/N: I'm going to switch to first person for a little bit, the chapters are becoming a bit hard to write in third person. Hope you don't mind. This is from Bill's point of view.

I can't believe my eyes. Grace disappeared two years ago, just after she got out of Hogwarts. It was all over the news, no one could find her. She's supposed to be dead, not laughing at the dining table with the rest of my family. The world's tipping sideways. I can feel myself tipping with it but can't seem to stop myself. Blackness surrounds me just before a massive blossoms in my head, then dies out.

* * *

Something cool is being pressed against my head. It's nice and I miss it when it disappears. Groaning, I try to move to keep it but the pain is back. I grip my head, willing the pain to go away. The blackness still surrounds me. A laugh from beside me, lets me know I'm not alone. Then something is being pressed to my lips but when I open my mouth to protest some of the liquid slips into my mouth. It's cool and refreshing and I can't help but drink it all. As soon as it's all gone my headache clears up.

I go to push myself into a sitting position but someone pushes me back down. I frown but don't fight the hand, still unable to see anything. When I mention this to the person a loud laugh reaches my ears, one that I recognise from somewhere. When the voice, definitely a woman's, tells me I've still got my euyes closed I feel a blush making it's way up my face. Opening my eyes I see the face that's haunted my nightmares for the past two years. I freeze but the woman simply smirks.

"Honestly Will, you look as if you've seen a ghost." Grace says. But my mind's stuck on Grace. Grace, the girl who supposedly died two years ago. I lunge at her, picking her up and twirling her around and around. She laughs, a sound that I've missed to much. When I eventually put her down she only comes up to my shoulder, just like Charlie. But what's Grace doing in my house?

When I voice my question she laughs at me again. She explains how it's been in all the news papers, all over the headlines. But it turns out it never reached Egypt, leaving me in for one hell of a shock when I got home. We sit and chat for a little bit about things that don't matter. Suddenly Charlie bursts in, a huge smile on his face. He just gasps out that we have to see something before dragging us both out of the room by our arms. When I look at Grace though, she just shrugs. But all is explained when we walk through the kitchen door. A little girl I remember seeing at the dining table is walking around using crutches.

I'm confused as to who she is and what I'm supposed to be looking at. But Grace rushes at the girl, picks her up and swings her round. The girl has gone very red in the face and pleads with Grace to stop. After a few more spins Grace does as she asks, setting her gently back on her feet. The girl wobbles a bit before falling, but Fred or George had already moved to her side and caught her. I'm even more confused now and can just watch the interaction.

Charlie speaks from beside me, making me jump. I had forgotten he was there. "She's called Hermione. Grace's little sister and our new little sister. We adopted her. Long story" I vaguely recall the little girl in front of me but she shows no resemblance to the girl I remember. The girl in my memory had brighter eyes, full of life. This girl's eyes are old beyond her years. So I'm still slightly confused but let it go, knowing Charlie will give me the full story later.

For now, it's time for lunch. All I hope for is that I can speak to Grace in private before the day's up.


	13. Grace and Bill's past

A/N: This is from Hermione's point of view.

When Fred has finished helping me have my lunch, I spot the strange man from before. He has the Weasley red hair but it's longer than any of the others. It's currently tied in a pony tail and hanging around the middle of his back. His back is now to me as he speaks to Charlie. I think I saw an earing in his left ear but I'm not sure.

"That's Will, stop staring Mione." Grace says, snapping me back to reality. I wasn't staring really, I was just trying to work out who he was. I glare at Grace and therefore miss Will coming up to us. Fred is still by my side and George is by my other side now.

"Ignore her, my name's William but everyone just calls me Bill." He opens his mouth to carry on speaking but a cough from Grace stops him. He glares at her then carries on. "Well apart from Grace over there. Anyway, I'm the oldest Weasley brother. And since you're now my little sister I think I should warn you about a few things. firstly, these two by your sides are bad news. OW!" A slap up the head from Grace stops him from saying anything more.

"She's already been here for a month you idiot." Grace tells him.

"Why am I always the last to know everything?" Bill responds.

"Because you moved out of the country. You shouldn't leave your family on their own like that." Grace retorts.

Bill sends her another glare before turning back to me. "Well apparently you know everyone but me. So let me tell you a few things about me, I'm a Curse Breaker and work in Egypt. I usually come home for the holidays but had something important to do. If anyone hurts you just tell me and I'll use make them pay. If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask me. Fred, George stop trying to put a spider in Ron's drink." With those final parting words, he turns to Grace once more and asks to speak to her.

Once they've left George starts to explain what they're up to before mum scolds him. Me and Fred hide our laughter behind our hands, I'm grateful that we can laugh now. Though when mum's gone to the kitchen to wash the pots and we're playing exploding snap in the lounge Charlie walks up to us.

"Let me play. you know George you weren't far off in your guess." At our confused looks he explains. "Bill and Grace had just started to date a little before... the thing happened. Loved each other though. The only thing wrong with your guess though is mum would kill them." We all laugh and start the game, Charlie winning in the end.

Bill and Grace only show up after dinner, Grace with her hair short and red again. When everyone stares at her she just says she wanted to be a Weasley. Mum doesn't look to happy but she doesn't mention anything. Grace sits on the only available chair and Bill sits between her legs on the floor. Together my family, new and old, watch the movie. Throughout it Fred and George keep stealing Ron's popcorn, Ginny moans that it's a boy's movie, Grace keeps platting Bill's hair, mum and dad snuggle together, Percy is reading his book and Charlie is commenting on the movie loudly. But I wouldn't have the night any other way, nor my family any other way.


	14. Fred and George go to Hogwarts

A/N: This is from Fred's point of view.

I wake up with a horrible feeling in my stomach. Today me and George are going to Hogwarts. Ron is really jealous of us and so is Ginny. But that's not what's making me feel ill, it's Mione. She isn't old enough to come to Hogwarts with us yet. That means that I have to wait until Christmas to see her again. Everyone's coming to see us off at the train station, apart from mum and Mione. Apparently it's too dangerous for Mione to Apparate with her ribs still not fully healed. So I won't even get to see her that long this morning.

Waking George up, we head downstairs to grab some breakfast. Thanks to Mione our trunks are packed already and all we have to do is wait for everyone else to wake up. Grace is coming with us and is cooking breakfast whilst singing, badly, along with the radio. The excitement over her return has died down now, so she can finally step out of the house. Grace is going to work in the dragon reserve that Charlie has transferred to.

Just as me and George are halfway through our breakfast Mione comes through the kitchen door. Me and George stop eating and instantly make room for her between us. When she's in her chair we carry on eating, in sync. I'm not like I was before but I'm definitely on my way, and George is meeting me halfway.

* * *

When it finally reaches the time we have to leave me and George hug Mione gently, not wanting to hurt her. But she grabs us tightly, and I feel a few tears slip out of her eyes onto my shoulder. Trying to console her George says we'll be back for Christmas but it just makes her look more sad. But we have to leave, even if we don't want to. Giving Mione one more hug we grab onto dad's arms and he Apparates us to Platform 9&3/4.

Saying goodbye to the rest of our family we board the train. But not before Grace slips something into my hand. When we get into an empty compartment I look at it, it's a prank written in Mione's handwriting that we can use to make ourselves known. Showing it to George we decide to do it the first opportunity that we have. Just then a boy comes in, called Lee Jordan.

We make friends with him and share a dorm with him in Gryffindor. That night I lie awake, thanking the Sorting hat for putting me in Gryffindor. I no longer want to be in Slytherin, I'd miss George and Mione too much.


	15. Death isn't goodbye

A/N: This is from no one's view in particular. I just want to move through the Hogwarts years quickly.

The next year Hermione enters Hogwarts, armed with the knowledge she will need from Fred and George. Her and Ron quickly become friends with Harry Potter, not needing the troll incident to make them friends. They don't face he troll but still save the Philosopher's stone with Fred and George helping them.

In second year, Hermione doesn't get petrified. Fred and George stay by her sides at all times, even walking between classes. Bill and Grace start going out and are the happiest couple, even if she still calls him Will. Harry starts to notice Hermione a bit more near the end of the year. When Harry goes into the chamber Fred is by his side and helps to destroy the diary. Hermione and Ginny become close friends when Ginny is finally released from the Hospital Wing.

When Sirius escaped from Azkaban, Grace got Hermione to send a daily letter to her so she knew she was O.K. When Hermione found out that Remus is a Werewolf she told Fred, George, Harry and Ron immediately. They confronted him and he told them the real story about Sirius. Together they imprisoned Peter and got Sirius out of Azkaban. He became Harry's official guardian and Hermione gave the time turner back in at the end of the year. At the end of the year Harry realises he has a crush on Hermione and she realises she has one on him.

During Hermione's fourth year she and Harry start dating. He gets threatened by all the Weasley brothers - "Hurt her, we'll make your death look like an accident" Harry gets drawn into the Triwizard tournament and events unfold as they do in the book. Apart from the fact that Harry takes Hermione to the Yule Ball and Ron doesn't make a scene. In the summer they attend the wedding of Bill and Grace, though Grace refused to wear a dress and wore a suit as well. When asked why she would always answer "Dresses are the abomination of womankind and I refuse to wear one." Charlie was Bill's best man, despite Grace's protests that he was stealing her maid of honour. In the end Hermione was her maid of honour.

Fifth year was horrible for everyone. Fred and George nearly got expelled, if everyone in their year and Hermione's hadn't said they had a part in the prank to they would have. Umbridge was hated, even by the Slytherins. Draco Malfoy came and apologised, joined the DA and became a good friend. Though he still liked to annoy Harry. Hermione managed to stop Harry from walking into the trap, therefore saving Sirius' life. The Order went instead and Fudge finally admitted Voldemort was back. At the end of the year everyone moved to 12 Grimmauld Place for safety.

Sixth year was a trying time. Everything happened like it said in the books. Apart from Harry and Hermione getting engaged, Ron dating Lavender and Fred and George finally stopped following Hermione and Harry around on their dates. Also Draco had no part in Dumbledore's death. Though just after Hermione agreed to marry Harry, he felt an incredible pain in his scar but he never got any messages from Voldemort afterwards.

Seventh Year Harry, Hermione, Ron, Draco, Fred, George, Grace and Bill all hunted for the Horcruxes. Grace, Fred and George all refused to let the three teens do anything that dangerous on their own. Bill wanted to be able to protect Grace and his younger brothers and sister, he counted Harry and Draco as brothers. Draco wouldn't allow his first true friends to leave him out, he was sorted into Slytherin for a reason. Because of their large group the Snatchers never took them to Malfoy Manor and Hermione was never tortured. They destroyed all of the Horcruxes in half the time and were able to save a lot of innocent people from Voldemort.

But during the Battle of Hogwarts Tonks, Remus, Fred and Snape didn't fall. But Grace did. She saved Fred by pushing him out of the way of the crumbling wall with a spell, which would have been fine if she hadn't been duelling Bellatrix Lestrange at the same time. While Grace was saving Fred, Bellatrix hit her with the Killing Curse. Bill took Bellatrix's life immediately afterwards but no one could save Grace. Tonks and Remus had come to see what was wrong when they heard everyone's cries, when a spell hit the part of the castle they had just apparated from. So Grace kind of saved three lives that day through the loss of her own. Snape had been revealed earlier in the year and had to flee but came back for the final battle.

Grace's funeral was horrible, though Hermione and Bill changed everyone's clothes into brighter colours and transfigured the dresses into tops and trousers. It was Hermione's last gift to Grace and Bill helped to try to take his mind off of the body lying in the coffin. For a long time after the funeral Bill was depressed but with the help of Fred, George and Hermione he got over it. Charlie missed his best friend but carried on her research at the dragon reserve and found a way to stop dragon pox using dragon blood. Harry and Hermione got married the next summer and lived long happy lives.

Mr and Mrs Weasley were the first to die after the war - seven and a half years after the war - a day apart from each other. They were followed - after twenty years - by Remus. Each death was hard but they moved past them, knowing they died in a better world. During the next fifty years only Sirius passed away. Though during the next ten years Tonks joined her husband and Bill joined Grace. The deaths were hard on the remaining family but they knew that Bill and Tonks were happier now. The next death was a shock - Draco Malfoy's. He died in his sleep from cancer, which he had told no one about. Percy and Ginny died within a year of each other, both of old age. By now the few remaining members of the Weasley and Potter family were all over a hundred and still living fulfilling lives. Fred and George passed away together, at the exact same time. Fred's tombstone read - Together until the end... George's was placed to the right of his and had the next part - ...because without the others... Hermione died a year later with Harry following her the next day. Her tombstone was placed on the right of George's and the last part was inscribed onto it - ...we could not survive. Harry was laid to rest on the right of Hermione, leaving one space open on the row designated for the combined families. Charlie Weasley passed on with a smile, knowing he had fulfilled his promise to Grace. He had kept Hermione alive until she was ready to pass on.

And so the Weasleys - Molly, Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny and Grace (through her marriage) - the Potters (Harry and Hermione), the Lupins (Remus and Tonks), Sirius Black and Draco Malfoy let death take them. After all, they had done their job and protected the wizarding world from Voldemort. Now they watch over us with love and care, making sure we all find the right path for us.

A/N: That's it. The end of the story. Sorry if it wasn't the end you expected but I thought it was the best way to end. Thank you for reviewing, following and favouriting (not sure if that's actually a word!) this story. I'm grateful to you all and check out my other stories. Who knows, you could like them even more than this one?! Ciao, adios, au revoir, sayonara, and any other phrases you can think of! MRS X Y AND Z (:P)


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